Expat-sponsored maids must renew UAE ID cards every year

Housemaids sponsored by expatriates in the UAE will receive identity cards with one-year validity, according to a top official.

Dr. Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, Director-General, Emirates Identity Authority (Eida), said ID cards must be renewed every time residency visas expire.

While employees of federal institutions get a three-year visa, private sector staff get only two-year visas. And their ID cards will also hold respective expiry dates, he said.

Explaining ID card validity terms for domestic helps, Al Khouri said housemaids working for Emirati sponsors will get a visa for two years and, therefore, their ID cards will need to be renewed every two years at a cost of Dh200.

However, housemaids sponsored by expatriates will get a visa for one year and their ID cards must be renewed each year at a fee of Dh100.

When reminded about the added cost to sponsors, Al Khouri said: "The operational cost of one ID card is more than Dh200. Plus the cost of staff, building and state-of-the-art techniques involved in the process...all these are borne by the government."

Speaking of the benefits of ID cards, Al Khouri said residents will realise its importance in the coming months.

According to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Abu Dhabi, currently five per cent of the total population comprise housemaids.

And 80 per cent of them are Filipinas and Indonesians.

Tenancy contract needed for visit visa in Dubai, but not Abu Dhabi

Do you need an attested tenancy contract when applying for a UAE visit visa?

In Dubai, it is mandatory, but Abu Dhabi says no need for now.

A call centre executive at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai told :“It is 'mandatory' to provide an attested tenancy contract even if one was applying for a visit visa.

“It’s a new rule. You have to provide us with a tenancy contract.

“It should be attested by the Land Department if you are staying in Dubai, or from the respective municipality if you are staying in any other emirate,” the executive said.

She added: “We just need the contract and we are not looking at the size of the apartment.”

A call centre executive from Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre told this website: “For now, you don’t require to produce an attested tenancy contract.”

Mahesh D, who went to apply for a visit visa, at the DNRD’s Jebel Ali branch on June 14, said: “On the phone they informed me to bring an attested copy of my tenancy contract, but at the immigration office I was never asked for one.

“When I enquired with the officer if he wanted to see my tenancy contract, he simply said ‘You don’t need to provide a tenancy contract for visit visa’.”

He adds: “It was not money but time spent in going to the Land Department and waiting in the queue to get my tenancy contract attested.

“If I had the right information, it could have saved my time.”

Mina Saheel, who works in Dubai, said she also wasn’t asked to provide the tenancy contract.

“I went to apply for a visa for my parents and I got it immediately. No official asked me for my tenancy contract.”

On June 17, Major General Nassir Al Minhali, the Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Naturalisation and Residency, was quoted by Al Khaleej, an Arabic language daily, saying that Abu Dhabi and all other emirates will soon be enforcing the new rules stipulating expatriates seeking to have their residence visas renewed to submit tenancy contract with their application.

Expat bachelors must present documents verifying their residence along with their visa renewal application even if they work in one emirate and reside in another.

The newspaper quoted the officer saying that the decision, which was temporarily suspended last week, does not target property firms or any other party, describing it as a “security, service and administrative” regulation aimed at serving the UAE’s interests.

UAE residence visa renewal - No need of tenancy contract

The requirement of a tenancy contract and attested utility bills in the UAE has been cancelled for renewal of residency visa from late Monday.

“The decision from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs came late yesterday. We have been told that there is no longer need of tenancy contracts and utility for any kind of visas,” a call centre executive of Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC) On Monday, Abu Dhabi had said that expatriates seeking a renewal of their residence visa must submit an attested tenancy contract with a valid utility bill, saying those sharing an accommodation would be rejected.

An official at the General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs in Abu Dhabi said the new rules issued last week apply to all expatriate families and bachelors, excluding those applying for a renewal of a visit visa.

Ahmed S, an Indian, who works with a company in Abu Dhabi, and has been sharing an apartment with his friends in Dubai, was quite elated to hear the new rule.

“It is good that they have cancelled the tenancy contract regulation… it is so tough for us who earn only Dh6000 per month to rent an apartment in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. I am very happy,” he added.

When contacted, Susan, who shares a Shoreline apartment in Palm Jumeirah, says: “I am relieved now. Since the announcement of the new rule, I wasn’t certain as to what I should do as my visa renewal comes in December. Now, I can peacefully enjoy the bliss on the Palm.”

She had told this website following the new rule that she could not afford to pay the full rent of an apartment on Shoreline and hence was sharing it with two other people.

It was reported on June 6 that expatriates seeking to renew their visas in Abu Dhabi must now submit a copy of their housing rent contract to immigration authorities as part of new terms enforced by the Ministry of Interior.

Foreigners residing in Abu Dhabi as well as those who work in the capital and live in other emirates must also present a rent copy along with other documents required for their visa extension, the semi official Arabic language daily Alitthad said, quoting Major General Nassir Al Minhali, Ministry of Interior assistant undersecretary for naturalization and residence.

“All expatriates in the UAE are now required to submit a copy of their house rent contract when they want to have their visa renewed…they should also present valid water or power bills to support that contract,” he said.

On June 7, it was confirmed that people sharing accommodation will not be allowed to renew their residence visa.

UAE visa problem for Indians with new passports

Dubai: Visa applications with new Indian passports that do not have an ‘emigration clearance not required’ (ECNR) stamp are being rejected by the Ministry of Labour’s website, Gulf News report.

The Indian government requires all citizens who have not passed secondary school and are applying to work in one of 17 specified countries, including the UAE, to have an emigration clearance stamp on a specific page of their passport.

Those with a secondary school pass or better needed an ECNR stamp.

However, as this was putting people through unnecessary hassle, the Protectorate of Emigrants abolished the need for the ECNR stamp and removed the page in October 2007.

Joseph B., who worked in Abu Dhabi for nearly a decade, recently moved to Dubai for a new job, but his visa application was initially rejected because his recently renewed passport didn’t have the ENCR stamp.

“My online application was rejected because the emigration clearance page was not there,” Joseph said.

“I complained with CGI [Consulate General of India] Dubai, but nothing happened for several days.

“Later somebody suggested me to show them the old passport which had ECNR stamp. Only then my visa was cleared.”

But not everyone has been successful.

Mohammad Ali, 40, is also a long-time Dubai resident. He was shocked when his company told him his visa application had been rejected.

On inquiry he found he was rejected because his new passport didn’t have the emigration clearance page.

Ali says time is running out because his visa has already expired and he is in the grace period.The CGI Dubai, which has received several complaints, confirmed there has been an issue with new passports.

“We have received several complaints and our embassy in Abu Dhabi has taken up the issue with the Ministry of Labour,” said Ashok Babu, CGI Dubai’s media consul.

“We have clarified with them that the new passports don’t have the ‘emigration clearance’ page generally and that only in cases where clearance is required the ECR stamp will be there.”

He added that the Ministry of Labour is aware of the development has promised to change the system accordingly.

“I think the problem is already rectified because we haven’t received any complaints in the last two days,” Babu said.

Insecure environment at work site, UAE ministry rejects work visas for women

The Ministry of Labour has rejected several applications by employers for new work visas for women in line with existing laws which ban the employment of females at insecure job sites.

The Ministry told employers at companies located at an industrial zone in Dubai that it would not grant work permits for women because of the “unsafe and insecure work environment at that site,” Alkhaleej daily said.

Article-30 No women shall be employed on any job that is hazardous, arduous or physically or morally detrimental or on any other work as may be specified in a resolution by the Minister, after consulting the concerned authorities.

“The Ministry of Labour stressed that it would not give any exceptions in this respect…it said its decision followed field visits by its inspectors to those sites,” the Sharjah-based Arabic language daily said.

“The Ministry affirmed its commitment to laws which ban the employment of women at certain work sites to ensure their safety.”

The report said the Ministry also made clear women cannot work at night at most sites except in emergency cases and in medical and related jobs.

Article-28 No women shall be required to work at night. The term “at night” refers to the period from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The paper noted that UAE labour laws prohibit the employment of women at mines and other underground work sites as well as fireworks factories, welding workshops and other dangerous fields.